VIP Very important preschooler

What's it take to be a VIP--a "Very Important Preschooler"? Five enthusiastic classmates, including kids of varying abilities and skin tones, run through the basics in Jin's rhyming text, each explaining key responsibilities they carry out on a given weekday. "On Wednesdays, it's my turn to be the line leader," narrates a child, portrayed with brown skin, who uses a wheelchair: "It's my job to lead the class/ and stay quiet in the halls./ I watch and wait and keep the pace/ so that nobody falls." From classroom greeter to recess helper, Bailey's figure-focused art depicts each cheerful, wide-eyed kid donning a paper crown when they describe their special duties. Though there are no velvet ropes for this VIP crowd, amid scenes dotted with student artwork and toys, the board book's inclusive message stresses "we play, we laugh, and we work together," insisting that "we're all VIPs in more ways than one." Ages 1--5. (July)

A look at classroom jobs found in a preschool. A sign posted on the bulletin board reads "VIP Week"--readers learn that VIP stands for "Very Important Preschooler." Five diverse tots bask in the glory of their big responsibilities. A brown-skinned child is the greeter: "I wave and say hello / to each friend who walks in. / A bad morning mood / can always change with a grin." Another brown-skinned child, this one using a wheelchair, is the line leader. "It's my job to lead the class / and stay quiet in the halls. / I watch and wait and keep the pace / so that nobody falls." The days of the week carry the narrative forward as each child describes their job. With oversize heads and wide, curious eyes, these young tots look eager to learn. Most images are cropped tight so there is not much school setting shown; readers never even see the teacher. But VIPs are encouraged to be kind and helpful, two important preschool (and human) readiness skills; this tale will reassure little ones, who often feel powerless, that they have much to offer: "We're all VIPs in more ways than one-- / there are many things you can do!" (This book was reviewed digitally.) Sweetly empowering. (Board book. 1-3) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.